Maybe we can save this thread for when we know who the specific player is. The criteria we use to measure success will largely depend on what position he plays.

True. But i think right now we should already have a general idea as to what the Raptors will be expecting from this draft pick. I dont want to tag him as a "saviour" but the reality is, IMO, there will be a big boulder that will be placed on this pick's shoulders come next season. At least from my perspective, this draft pick will definitely be groomed as a starter for this team. Even if he does not start come the new season, eventually, he will. At least thats what my expectations are of this pick.

Only 3 guys really strike me as potential all stars in this draft, Davis, MKG and Beal. All three are worth moving up in the draft for. After that there's a handful of guys that COULD be all stars down the road but they'd have to maximize on their potential. Otherwise, I'd say they'll be very solid starters for years to come. The thing with this draft is there's lots of guys with oodles of potential, even in the second round, but who knows? I wouldn't be shocked if 5 years from now theres a couple all-star level players who were selected in the second round.

Only 3 guys really strike me as potential all stars in this draft, Davis, MKG and Beal. All three are worth moving up in the draft for. After that there's a handful of guys that COULD be all stars down the road but they'd have to maximize on their potential. Otherwise, I'd say they'll be very solid starters for years to come. The thing with this draft is there's lots of guys with oodles of potential, even in the second round, but who knows? I wouldn't be shocked if 5 years from now theres a couple all-star level players who were selected in the second round.

Do you think there's a sense of urgency for the Raptors with this pick? Should they be thinking that with this pick, the team should improve drastically and at least be a playoff team?

Only 3 guys really strike me as potential all stars in this draft, Davis, MKG and Beal. All three are worth moving up in the draft for. After that there's a handful of guys that COULD be all stars down the road but they'd have to maximize on their potential. Otherwise, I'd say they'll be very solid starters for years to come. The thing with this draft is there's lots of guys with oodles of potential, even in the second round, but who knows? I wouldn't be shocked if 5 years from now theres a couple all-star level players who were selected in the second round.

The thing with Beal is his game is more tailored for the NBA, too. He's good at what he does in college but he's going to be awesome in the NBA. I've heard rumblings of teams wanting to possibly convert him to PG since his ball handling and court vision are so good.

Only 3 guys really strike me as potential all stars in this draft, Davis, MKG and Beal. All three are worth moving up in the draft for. After that there's a handful of guys that COULD be all stars down the road but they'd have to maximize on their potential. Otherwise, I'd say they'll be very solid starters for years to come. The thing with this draft is there's lots of guys with oodles of potential, even in the second round, but who knows? I wouldn't be shocked if 5 years from now theres a couple all-star level players who were selected in the second round.

The thing with Beal is his game is more tailored for the NBA, too. He's good at what he does in college but he's going to be awesome in the NBA. I've heard rumblings of teams wanting to possibly convert him to PG since his ball handling and court vision are so good.

Maybe Beal's our PG of the future

Based on a few YouTube videos, his offensive arsenal already seems more diverse than DeRozan's. So if he's drafted, more decisions are required. There's no point in having Beal and DeRozan as SGs.

The thing with Beal is his game is more tailored for the NBA, too. He's good at what he does in college but he's going to be awesome in the NBA. I've heard rumblings of teams wanting to possibly convert him to PG since his ball handling and court vision are so good.

With the three guard starting line up of Boynton and Walker in addition to Beal, Beal hardly had a chance to show what he could do. Boynton and Walker look for themselves first and everyone else much later in the thought process.

I like, Beal, but I don't see star potential, but he could definitely be a really good(REALLY REALLY GOOD) 2nd option. Sharing the backcourt is hard, but sharing it with two more scoring undersized PG/SG is harder. From the Florida games I've seen, Beal is looking good, but not great, although he has a really smooth game and can definitely play part-time PG for the Raptors. I see Miller, AD, MKG, Barnes, Ross, Drummond, Robinson, and Rivers as having star potential. If they reach it, I don't know, but their game and talent are undeniable.

Do you think there's a sense of urgency for the Raptors with this pick? Should they be thinking that with this pick, the team should improve drastically and at least be a playoff team?

I believe that the Raps are expecting to get at least a solid rotation player who is good at both ends of the court and who can contribute offensively more consistently than Ed Davis has done so far.

I think Davis, MKG, Barnes and Beal are the top picks.

However, it sounds like MKG is serious about staying in school, so he might not be an option.

Davis plays at the position/role that the Raps are strongest at: a defensive minded PF. The Raps have Valanciunas coming in to play C and he is primarily defensive-minded, with the expectation of becoming a defensive anchor. If Bargnani's games played this season are legit, then he is an all-star PF who creates lots of offensive mismatches. If the Raps win the lottery and I'm BC, I would seriously look at trading the #1 overall pick for another top-5/10 draft pick (to get Barnes, MKG or Beal) along with another asset (ie: later 1st round pick, future 1st round pick, good young prospect or proven rotation player).

I think Barnes will be better than his play is showing so far this season, largely because he hasn't had to press too hard to be too much on a good NC squad. He is a good shooter and has the tools to be a good defender, plus he seems to have a high BBIQ.

I also like Beal and think his slick outside shooting, great handles and great court vision (from the couple games I've seen) could translate into a very solid NBA guard. As some have mentioned, I wonder how he would be at PG, since he seems to be very calm under pressure and has the handles and vision that the position requires. I would put him 3rd on my list after MKG/Barnes, but the NCAA tourney could change that.

Based on a few YouTube videos, his offensive arsenal already seems more diverse than DeRozan's. So if he's drafted, more decisions are required. There's no point in having Beal and DeRozan as SGs.

No i'd keep him at SG. But consider this, with his skills you could start a big defensive PG beside him (George Hill?) and run the offense through him, especially at the end of games. In regards to Derozen, i'd start him at SF. He's proven to be more effective there, especially when he works his postup game. JJ would come off the bench, giving the second unit a solid shot of energy and defense. On games where DeMar lollygags, JJ gets his minutes.

I like that lineup a lot. You've got shooters at every position and enough defense to cover up Demar who's actually been playing decent D lately. Bench is strong, in fact you could still trade Amir or Ed and be effective.

No i'd keep him at SG. But consider this, with his skills you could start a big defensive PG beside him (George Hill?) and run the offense through him, especially at the end of games. In regards to Derozen, i'd start him at SF. He's proven to be more effective there, especially when he works his postup game. JJ would come off the bench, giving the second unit a solid shot of energy and defense. On games where DeMar lollygags, JJ gets his minutes.

I like that lineup a lot. You've got shooters at every position and enough defense to cover up Demar who's actually been playing decent D lately. Bench is strong, in fact you could still trade Amir or Ed and be effective.

Not to be a dick but George Hill is only 6'2" and 180lbs according to his ESPN profile.

I get what you are saying though. A guard like Jason Kidd (defensively speaking) or Kirk Hinrich are pretty big. Too bad they are both on the tail ends of their careers.